Kazakhstan to Develop Winemaking
The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Kazakhstan proposes to include winemaking in the list of priority sectors under the Business Roadmap 2020 Programme, News-Kazakhstan Information Agency reports. 
Zhanar Aitzhanova, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, voiced the intent at the meeting of the unified coordinating council on entrepreneurship issues.
“Entrepreneurs raise the issue of listing winemaking into the catalogue of priority sectors so as to support domestic agricultural producers within the winemaking project, subject to making wine of domestic grape only,” said Ms. Aitzhanova.
She further explained that “winemaking was not on the list because it formerly was in the excisable product category subject to excise taxation”.
The Business Roadmap 2020 Programme was developed to implement the New Decade-New Economic Upturn-New Opportunities for Kazakhstan message of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the people of Kazakhstan, and the Strategic Plan of Development of Kazakhstan until the Year 2020.
The programme is one of the mechanisms to implement the State Programme for Accelerated Industrial and Innovative Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the years 2010-2014.
The objective of the programme is to ensure a sustainable and balanced growth of regional entrepreneurship in the non-primary sectors of the country’s economy as well as to maintain the existing and to create new permanent jobs.
An Italian Plant on Tomato Paste Production Will Be Commissioned in Kyzylorda Oblast by Autum Kyzylorda. 7 June. Kazakhstan Today - An Italian plant on tomato paste production will be commissioned by autumn on Tatu-Agro farm in the southernmost Zhanakorgan District, Kyzylorda Oblast, as part of a breakthrough project. This was reported to the agency’s correspondent by Oraz Aliyev, director of Tatu-Agro.
According to Oraz Karakozhayev, Director of the Kyzylorda Branch of KazAgroFinance JSC, “the value of the plant is 700 million tenge. The designed capacity of its two lines is 30,000 tons of tomatoes.” According to him, tomato paste will be bottled in 250-gram, half-litre, one litre, and two-litre containers. The product will go directly to shops from the plant.
Last year, Tatu-Agro introduced the drip irrigation technology on its vegetable plantations. Up-to-date equipment worth 320 million tenge has been purchased to introduce the water saving technology.
According to the Kyzylorda Oblast Office for Business and Industry, “ten investment projects totalling 21.8 billion tenge are planned to be implemented in the Aral Sea region by the end of the year, including the new tomato paste production facility.”
Source: Kazakhstan Today
Greenhouse Production of Early Vegetables and Fruit in Kazakhstan Meets Only 17% of Its Consumption Demand
The greenhouse production infrastructure is underdeveloped in Kazakhstan. “Today, there are 1,752 indoor facilities in the country, with a total area of 217 hectares. According to statistical data, the gross output is 14,700 tons per year – which is a mere 17% of what we consume.” 
This was reported by Arman Yevniyev, Vice Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, during the 2nd workshop Protected Ground of Kazakhstan 2010, on development of greenhouse production in Kazakhstan, reports Kazakh-ZERNO with reference to KazInform.
Yet, Kazakhstan has favourable conditions to meet the market demand in the Customs Union with agricultural produce, says A. Yevniyev. According to him, the Customs Union’s market – more than 170 million people – needs fruit and vegetables, and especially early produce.
“In this respect, in order to enhance development of greenhouse production, the legislators have for the first time come up with a mechanism of subsidizing indoor production. A special budget programme earmarked 279 million tenge this year. This is our first attempt. Our objective for this year is to develop efficient mechanisms,” said Vice Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan.
Vice Minister also said that in the Customs Union, the rate of import customs duties for greenhouse equipment will be zero during 2010 through 2012. “This should enhance development of greenhouse production at this stage.”
Kazakhstan: A 200-Hectare Food Terminal Being Built Near Astana
According to the Astana City Akimat (Kazakhstan), in order to develop a local agro-industrial complex, KazAgro National Holding JSC began implementation of the project on construction of a wholesale agricultural produce market with regional terminals 12 kilometres off Astana, in Talapker, Akmola Oblast.
It includes a system for preparation, storage and wholesale distribution of vegetables, fruit, meat and fish. The capacity of this facility is 130,000 tons per year. A 200-hectare land plot has been assigned to house terminals for regional markets, with a 10-hectare area for construction of a vegetable store cellar and warehouses.
AstanaEkoStandart LLP is now implementing a project on establishing a greenhouse compound to grow cucumbers and tomatoes. A 3-hectare land plot has been assigned for the project implementation. The project will begin in the 1st quarter of 2010.
Implementation of investment projects on construction of KazGlavProdukt LLP and Lender Group shipping and logistics centres is planned in Industrial Park. Implementation of the projects will be completed in 2010.